


Concubine

by percyinpanties



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greece & Rome, M/M, Past Abuse, Praetor! Percy, Undecided Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-05 05:15:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4167336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percyinpanties/pseuds/percyinpanties
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His home destroyed and dragged away from his family,<br/>Jason is faced with the choice between a life amongst vile pirates, or being sold to the highest bidder to do with however they please.<br/>Really, there is not much of a choice at all.</p><p>Things take a turn when, instead, he is presented as a gift to the praetor of a small  Graece province.</p><hr/>
<hr/><p>This is a rewrite, but so far has doubled in word count compared to the original fic of mine. So if you have read it before, it is definitely worth giving it another go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rewrite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have promised this...for over a year. I haven't realised it has been this long.  
> I am finally at it though, updates may be slow, but as of now I am well into the first ~ 8k of the rewrite so... it should go on somewhat smoothly for a while.
> 
> The word count has doubled for the first few chapters already, so even if you have read the original, I suggest you might give this a go.

Jason shivers.

He has been kneeling on the stone floor for endless minutes now, both cold and fear are making his legs tremble and the hairs stand at the back of his neck.

He doesn’t want to be here.

The men, the pirates – his handlers; they have put him in a dress. It is not a robe or a tunic, but a woman’s garment made of thin, sheer fabric that does nothing to cover Jason’s milky white skin underneath.

The dress leaves his shoulders bare and is cut so low that it reveals most of Jason’s chest. Even though the fabric feels soft and luxurious against his skin, Jason cannot bring himself to enjoy the feeling.  The dress is barely even long enough to hide his most intimate parts, even standing it rides high on Jason’s things.

Jason knows it was not made to conceal as much as it was made to tease.

It’s decoration, like a bow on a present.

Golden paint has been applied around his eyes, berries squishes against his lips and cheeks to give his paled features some colour.

Jewellery hangs heavily around his neck, decorates his wrists and his ears.

Jason has no doubt what he is being offered as.

In the distance, Jason hears talking. First, only the gruff voices of his handlers, then another, new voice mixes with them.

Steps echo in the hallway leading to the room, becoming louder as they draw closer. Jason bows his head low when the door opens. He has learned his lesson; he’d rather swallow his pride and submit instead of daring to look up and risking another beating.

Somewhere at the back of his mind, Jason understands that he is _lucky_ to be alive.

The mercenaries who attacked his village could killed him easily, after Jason’s laughable attempts at defending himself and his people.

Instead of receiving a blade through his guts, however, he’d been disarmed and bound, tossed aside so they may decide his fate once the rest of the village was erased from the surface of the earth.

Some of the invaders had called him _pretty_ , and remembering the way they’d said it made Jason’s stomach lurch. Even though it was the only reason they had spared his life, the way they’d leered at him, hungry eyes and twitching hands, had almost been worse than a slow death at their hands.

Their leader, a scarred, scary specimen, had stepped forward to examine Jason while two of the others held the boy down.

They’d laughed and cheered as the man felt Jason up while tears made their way down Jason’s cheeks.

He had wanted nothing more than to find his sword and drive it through this man’s chest in that moment.

After this, it was decided that Jason was worth more _untouched_.

Young enough to be a virgin, pretty enough to be sold to a rich old man or woman – even untrained and unexperienced. During the weeks Jason had spent on the pirates’ ship, he’d imagined all sorts of horrible scenarios, but any _owner_ would be better than these brutes just waiting for permission to corner Jason and have their way with him.

During their time at sea, Jason had a few close calls with the crew.

Having deemed him a _pretty little thing_ , their eyes were on him whenever he was let out of his make-shift prison in the hull.

They were not allowed to _have him,_ but that didn’t stop them from seeing how far they may push, how much they could grope and touch and squeeze before their captain found out or one of the other crewmembers jealously pushed them away.

More than once, Jason overheard one of the men trying to convince the captain to let them keep Jason as a _playmate,_ to keep crew’s morale high during long trips at sea.

The captain had been insistent, though, that Jason was to be left untouched – only then could he be sold at the highest price.

He could not have been taken before, not even by force.

Jason had thought bitterly that maybe, he should count himself lucky for this, too.

Any fate awaiting him here on the cold stone floor will be better than another day on this pirate ship with these pigs of men.

Being here means he will, most likely, get to live, and he will not be given to a horde of brutes who’d fight over who got to throw a leg over him first.

If Jason is lucky, they’ll make him a servant.

Judging from the way he is being presented however, wrapped up in silk and jewels and painted with gold, Jason knows that this kind of servitude is not what his future holds.

Maybe a wealthy widow has bought him – a pretty virgin boy for entertainment during her last years of life.

Or maybe he is being sold to a man, someone influential enough not to bother with marriage, or someone who can afford buying some new toy to warm their bed at night despite having a spouse already. A General, a Lieutenant, possibly, or just some high ranking soldier who has the money to pay for a slave.

A senator, some old politician or businessman.

Anything would be better than those vile pirates.

“What is this?”  The new voice booms. A man’s, deep and mature – but cold and clearly angered.

Jason has to bite down in his lips to suppress the instinct to flinch away.

“You know that I do not trade in slaves.”

Jason hears the sick noise of a tongue wetting lips – he recognises the pirate’s leader, filthy and unmannered.

“The boy is a present, my lord. An apology for our little… misunderstanding.”

The slick noise again, like a reptile darting out its tongue between its words. Jason feels sick to his stomach.

A present, a toy. That is all he is now. Something to be used and then left for the crows.

“I saved you the prettiest, he would make a good sum on the market. And I made sure he was still … pure, for you, my lord. Not a scratch on the boy.”

Jason cannot help it then, he scoffs.

There are plenty of scratches and bruises on his skin even now, and there would be many more hadn’t the captain locked him away from his men’s reach the last few days before their arrival here.

Even before, the pirates who managed to catch him out of sight of the captain had been careful not to leave any marks in their frenzy to grope and touch and use as they pleased, until their leader had made it clear he would not tolerate any of them having Jason to themselves.

After that, the men had turned resentful, blamed Jason for their captain’s decision – they had showed him just how many bruises they could leave him with before their leader cared.

When a slap hits him hard across the face, Jason is not surprised. His vision blurs, from the impact or the threat of tears Jason cannot tell.

He almost topples over, but a hand yanking him back up by his hair prevents him from touching the floor.

“Do not lie, slave.” The pig snarls, spit flying with every word, the vile droplets hitting Jason’s face.

If the grip was any less tight, Jason would flinch away from the contact.

He whimpers, a pitiful sound, but he cannot stop it from escaping his throat.

As suddenly as it came, the hold on his hair disappears – followed by the sickening sound of a nose breaking under a fist’s impact.

Jason watches the pig fall over his feet trying to get away, only to land hard on his behind. His lip and nose are bleeding, but he is not looking at his assaulter. Instead, he is glaring daggers at Jason.

That is when Jason realises this place is his only chance at survival.

If he does not get to stay here, he will not survive going back to that ship.

The painful fist from before is replaced by a much gentler touch now – two fingers hooking under Jason’s chin and tilting his head upward. His gaze is directed upward to Jason’s soon to be owner.

The man is not as old as Jason has expected. He must be Jason’s sister’s age, maybe a little younger than that, even. Jason finds it hard to tell with the beard growing on the man’s cheeks.

Jason meets the man’s eyes hesitantly, afraid of backlash. They are a startlingly bright green colour.

“Do not lie to me, boy.” He says. His voice is as deep as before, but none of its earlier anger and coldness is direction at Jason now. “Did they lay a hand on you?”

Jason nods carefully. Honesty must be the best way to go, although... Jason doubts this man will want a used good.

“I have been beaten, but… but they have not… they haven’t…” Jason cannot bring himself to say it.

Claiming he hasn’t been touched with sexual intent would have been a lie, and Jason wishes to be truthful with this man. Details hardly matter, but if it is his purity that will _sell_ him, Jason has to make sure the man knows Jason was never taken, not even by force.

The man nods, but his expression is conflicted. He must understand what Jason is trying to say, but Jason fears he has guessed why Jason struggles to express what has happened during the weeks spent with the pirates.

He lets go of Jason’s chin, who drops it to his chest again.

“I’m taking him.” The man says. “But do not believe for one moment this petty gift settles your debt.”

A cold shiver runs down Jason’s spine. He tries to convince himself that this will be better in the long run, but it is hard to believe.

Once the pirates’ leader has been escorted outside, the man helps Jason up from the floor.

He does not speak, but calls a servant girl out of the shadows that Jason has not spotted before. Has she been there the entire time, silently watching?

They exchange a few words Jason doesn’t catch, then the girl nods quickly before bowing her head to the man.

She turns to Jason and the small, kind smile on her lips makes him relax minimally.

“Follow me.” She says curtly.

Her voice is pleasant and warm, but she does not speak again after – Jason is glad for it. He is not sure how he would answer any of the questions she might ask.

Where is he from, how did he get here, did the pirates treat him well?

Jason’s has questions of his own – Where am I? Who _is this man_? What will happen to me now? – but he opts to stay quiet nevertheless. His time will come to answer those questions, but for now, Jason is grateful for every moment of silence.

For endless minutes, they walk down long hallways that are only occasionally lit by candles or torches. The windows breaking through the stone walls every now and again hardly provide any light – the sky is overhung with clouds raining down on the earth around.

The movement keeps the chill out of Jason’s bones, although he can still feel it creep up his legs from his bare feet on the stone tiles. The skimpy dress doesn’t do much in terms of warmth either.

Neither the man - his owner, Jason tries to make himself think without recoiling – nor the servant girl have bothered to untie his hands. He does not think the cruelty is intentional, but the rough ties have started worrying the soft skin of his wrists wound. Even so, Jason doesn’t dare speak up and ask for help.

It is not long before they stop in front of a heavy looking set of doors. They are made of dark wood, and Jason is about to say he will not be able to open these with his wrists bound when the servant girl leans against one of the door wings with all her weight.

It creaks as it gives way, and she shoots Jason another sympathetic smile.

“You will stay here.” She says, but does not offer any more information.

Jason nods and steps towards the doors. He murmurs a small thanks to her as he passes, but his eyes stay glued to the floor. Whatever is on the other side, Jason is not sure if he is ready to face it.

Warmth is the first thing that hits him.

Despite his hesitation, Jason’s gaze snaps up and he takes in the room around him.

It is much larger than he expected and dressed in warm, sensual colours.

There is a large window, casting the room in the dull, grey light of a rainy day. Jason imagines it must be beautiful if the sun shines through the light curtains instead.

Across from the window, a fireplace is set into the wall – lit and undoubtedly the source of the warmth. Most of the space in the room is taken up by a large bed and a table by the fire. There is a chair on either side and a set of candles unlit on top.

To Jason’s left, an arch leads into another room, but Jason cannot see far inside. There seems to be a vanity there, a dresser and towels on a wooden bench.

The door falls shut behind Jason with a thud and he jumps, turning around to find the servant girl gone.

“Do you need some help with that?”

Jason startles again, whirling back around and already prepared to duck away from whoever has spoken. He had not believed he would be expected to earn his place so quickly.

It takes Jason’s eyes a moment to find the voice’s source, but eventually they fall onto a boy Jason’s age, slouching against the arch leading to the other room.

He is tanned much darker than Jason, freckles litter his face and arms, as well as the skin of his legs as far as Jason can see. His face is framed by golden curls, similar in colour to Jason’s hair, and blue eyes that match Jason’s own.

The bright smile that had been previously taking up the boy’s face falls when he recognises the fear on Jason’s features. He raises both hands in surrender, slowly pushes off the arch and takes a few steps toward Jason.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He says. His voice is melodic, warm. Jason forces himself to relax. “I just want to help you with that rope. It looks very painful.”

Jason’s back hits the door, even though the boy doesn’t look intimidating in the slightest. Now that he comes closer, Jason can tell he is about a head shorter than Jason. He’s is wearing something that is similar to Jason’s own dress, although more modestly cut and made of opaque purple fabric.

It is clear what his role is in this house… what Jason’s role will be from now on.

“My name is Will.” The boy offers, along with a gentle smile as he carefully unties the knots between Jason’s wrists.

The skin is angry red where the rope had rubbed against it over days, and Jason hisses under his breath when his wrists finally come free. Will looks up at Jason, clearly expecting an answer, but all that leaves Jason’s throat is a weak croak.

Will chuckles and steps back, giving Jason some space.

“Would you like some water?”

Jason manages a nod in reply, and as Will steps further into the room, Jason follows along hesitantly. There is a carafe on a smaller table by the window, and Jason watches as Will takes it to fill a cup with water.

Jason takes it gratefully. He gulps the water down without any grace, relief for his parched throat, then sighs a little into the empty cup.

“Thank you.” Jason whispers. His voice is still hoarse, and it hurts to speak, but Will breaks into a bright smile when Jason tries nonetheless. “I-I’m Jason.”

Jason finds that, once Will gets talking, it is hard to make him stop again.

He doesn’t mind, really, after weeks listening to nothing but disgusting men and hearing all the things they’d like to do to him, the soft and harmonious flow of Will’s voice is a relief to his ears and mind.

The boy is intelligent, educated, too, more so that Jason thinks he’ll ever get a chance to be. Granted, he had learned how to fight – poorly so – but as Will tells Jason about training to be healer while he treats Jason’s rope burns, Jason cannot even pretend not to be impressed.

“How did you end up here, then?” Jason asks quietly. He cannot help himself any longer, curiosity getting the better of him, but Will doesn’t seem to be bothered too much by the question. He simply smiles sadly and shrugs.

“Same way everybody does. My village was burned down by mercenaries and because I was the closest thing they found to a healer they spared my life.”

A shadow falls over Will’s face as he speaks, and Jason knows there is more than the other is ready to share.

“They let me live as long as I would treat their wounded. About a year later, we passed by here and… and I caught the praetor’s eyes.”

There is more to this too, but Jason knows better than to prod. Will’s smile has turned distant, and on a whim, Jason reaches out to cover Will’s hands with his own as a silent offer of comfort. Will does not ask for Jason’s story in return, and it is a relief.

“You will like it here, though, I promise.” Will says as he turns his attention back to Jason, coming back from whatever faraway place his mind had wandered off to. Will turns his hands around underneath Jason’s, holding on to them for a moment and giving them a squeeze.

“The praetor has treated me with nothing but kindness, and he will do the same for you.”

Jason could only hope this was the truth.

As the sun starts setting, taking away what little daylight it had supplied before, Will lights two torches on the walls on either side of the window, as well as the candles on the table by the fire.

Not long ago the servant girl that had brought Jason here had come to bring them fresh water and food. She had exchanged a few words out on the hallway with Will before she left, but the two had spoken too quietly for Jason to catch much more than his own name being said in hushed tones.

 

It gnaws at him. He is inclined to trust Will, trust his promises and kindnesses, but the praetor – Jason knows nothing about the man, and he had not seemed happy to have Jason here. If he changes his mind about allowing Jason to stay, decides to send him back to the pirates – a shudder runs through Jason’s body.

He’d sooner jump off a cliff and into his death than set foot onto that ship again.

“Don’t you want to eat?” Will’s soft question and his hand on Jason’s shoulder startle Jason much more than they should have.

He flinches away from the touch instinctively, but regrets doing so immediately when he sees the hurt it has brought to Will’s expression.

They have just begun to gain each other’s trust, something fragile and soft blooming between them, but Jason cannot help but be wary of anyone’s hands on him.

Will seems to understand. When Jason turns away from the window and toward him, he offers his hand rather than touching without warning or permission.

Jason allows Will to take a hold of his wrist with a small nod, then lets the other guide him to the table by the fireplace. They take seats across from one another, but instead of reaching for the food, Jason hides his hands in his lap.

“You are worried about what she said to me, are you not?” Will asks after the silence passes on for too long. Jason cannot gauge Will’s expression, as most of his face is hiding behind a cup of water and the hand holding it.

There is no point in lying, Jason is sure Will knows the answer already. He sets his cup down on the table, and without waiting for a reply, offers the information to Jason freely.

“Per – _The praetor_ will be leaving tomorrow.” Will’s voice is not cold, but strangely void of emotion. “The trip has been planned for weeks so he cannot cancel, but he wanted me to know that it will fall to me to make sure you are ready to take on your duties when he returns.”

Jason swallows thickly. Will’s honesty does not surprise him, he does not seem like the kind to lie, and Jason is grateful Will offers the information without prompting.

Everything here, this room and… and _Will_ are much more than Jason had expected when he knelt on the cold stone tiles earlier in the day, painted and adorned like a _whore_ , to be sold as a _playmate_ to whoever old man or woman bid the most.

Having been offered as a gift rather than bought with intent takes none of the pressure off of Jason’s shoulders, and it does not make it less demeaning, however.

Jason may be lucky that the praetor is young for the position he is in, and that Will is there to guide him, and that he has some time before the inevitable… but none of that makes Jason any less afraid.

Jason swallows thickly. He wants to reply, thank Will for his honestly, but a clump has formed within his throat. He does not look at Will, he knows there are tears swimming in his eyes.

How will he ever be able to do this?

As if having read Jason’s thoughts, Will reaches out and finds one of Jason’s hands under the table. This time, the touch is not unwelcome.

“Perseus… the praetor. He is a good man.” Will begins softly. “He has never forced himself on me, and he allowed me the time I needed to accept this role.”

A thumb caresses the back of Jason’s hand, a small, yet soothing gesture.

A willing slave is still just a slave, Jason thinks, but he doesn’t voice his thought.

Never once since his village was burned to the ground had he dared hoping he’d have a choice again, especially not about this. It is more than Jason can ask for, he knows that, but it does only little to ease the weight in his chest.

Jason blinks his tears away and looks up to give Will the smallest of smiles. He will take what he has to take, there is no choice about that anymore.

Will returns Jason’s smile, then licks his lips uncertainly. It’s nothing like the vile leader’s habit, but it still makes Jason avert his eyes.

“I can teach you everything you’ll need to know.” Will says carefully. He does not meet Jason’s gaze when the other looks up. “About this place and the praetor and your duties here. There is much more to it than warming a bed… but that I can teach you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, tell me what you think down below, whether you are reading for the first or second time. <3
> 
> I am looking forward to actually bringing this to a finish this time around, and I'd love to hear all your thoughts and opinions in the comments - they always motivate me to keep on writing :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not quite as long as the last one I'm afraid, hope you'll enjoy it anyway. I'm gonna be updating this and Hello in a tandem - so once I finish a new chapter of hello, I'll start working on the new chapter for this, and the other way around :)

Will keeps his promise.

 

When they wake the next morning – sharing the bed had turned out to be much less scary than Jason imagined – Will is wide awake as soon as the first rays of sunshine filter through their curtains.

He helps Jason to a longer toga – cut much like the one Will is wearing – longer than the dress he’d come here in the night before. Its colour matches Will’s tunic, a rich purple, and the fabric feels soft and weightless on Jason’s skin. He allows himself to appreciate the little things, if only for the moment.

 

As soon as Jason is changed, Will takes his hand and pulls him out of their room. The hallways all look the same to Jason, but he tries his best to keep up and remember which turns they are taking.

He loses his way for too soon, every hallway looking just like the one before, but Will seems confident of the way they are going. Jason knows he will have to learn to navigate this place sooner rather than later, but today, he can allow himself to be lead.

The ground is cold under Jason’s feet, but he finds that after a little while, he doesn’t mind it anymore.

 

It takes a good ten minutes until they reach their destination and Will guides Jason out onto a patio. The view is breath-taking, and judging from Will’s grin, he knows it as well.

His hand still in Jason’s, he pulls the other boy to the edge and makes him sit.

 

Their feet dangling over the edge, Jason takes in the scenery around them. They are right at the sea and down below their feet, waves crash against the cliffs and send their spray all the way up to their toes.

In the east, the sun is beginning to rise on the horizon, tinting the sky with a red and orange glow. On the far side of the patio, a path winds down through a field of olive trees whose branches hang heavy with fruit. It must be close to harvest, and Jason thinks he spots a handful of children chasing each other between the trees.

Jason can see why a praetor would chose this as their place to live – it is absolutely beautiful.

 

“Whenever the praetor is home, and the weather allows it, this is where we eat.” Will says.

There is a gentle smile on his lips and his eyes are closed as he is facing the sun. He looks to be at peace here, trying to soak in the first rays of the morning.

“Always with the rise and fall of the sun.”

 

They sit in silence for a while, Jason watches the sea and the sun, but mostly Will – only looking away with his cheeks tinting pink when Will turns back toward him and he has been caught. If Will minds the staring, he doesn’t say.

 

Behind them, the servant girl from the evening before steps out into the patio.

 

“Good morning.” She says in her sweet, soothing voice and smiles at them both. Jason finds himself smiling back without hesitation.

 

He watches as she sets down a tray with fruit and bread, as well as a carafe on a table behind them.

As if on cue, Jason’s stomach grumbles, and Will laughs quietly.

Jason had not expected being serviced, or being looked after at all, especially with the praetor gone.

 

“Her name is Hazel.” Will offers as he stands up, gesturing for Jason to stay where he is. “The praetor took her in after her mother died, offered her a job in the kitchen and a home so she wouldn’t be out in the streets.”

 

Even though there are two chairs by the table, Will doesn’t sit. Instead, he takes the plate, hands it to Jason, then grabs the can himself and sinks back down on Jason’s other side.

 

“Most of the staff are runaways, orphans or former slaves.” Will murmurs quietly and takes a sip straight out of the can. Somehow Jason doubts he’d do the same thing if the praetor was with them.

He hands the can over to Jason then, who peers curiously inside. Goat’s milk, from the looks of it.

“Most get paid, or their live on the property. It is a better life than most of what’s out there.”

 

In a way, Jason finds this comforting. He is not part of the staff (and he wonders if Will considers himself to be). Jason is still a slave, but even so… the others here are like him: alone in the world with no other place to go. If they have found a way to make peace with this live, maybe Jason can do the same.

 

Will keeps talking aboit the people Jason will meet over the next few days while the two boys share the food on the plate between them and watch the sun rise slowly in the distance. The water glitters below, and every time the waves break against the cliff and the wind carries the spray of saltwater up to them. When Jason licks his lips, he can taste the residue.

 

It’s not until the last of the fruit is gone that Will stands up again and offers Jason his hand. Once Jason is pulled up to his feet and their tray and carafe back on the table, Will grips Jason’s hand a little tighter to lead him to their next destination.

Instead of going back inside, Will leads a path through the olive trees. The oily scent is heavy, but pleasant in the air, mixing with the fresh air coming from the open sea and Jason finds himself inhaling deeply.

Will is walking ahead, but he doesn’t speak now. Instead, he is humming a little melody to himself. In this moment, Jason feels oddly at peace.

 

When they reach the other side of the treeline, their view opens up to a gentle slope and a wide, open space. Jason recognises a small arena, stables close behind, and the outskirts of a town in the distance.

A handful of men and women are gathered in a half circle in the centre of the training plaza, intently watching a tall man demonstrating what to Jason’s eyes looks like a dance with a sword. His eyes follow every movement, studying the man carefully, until he hears Will snicker beside him.

 

“That is Luke. He is the praetor’s second in command and his lieutenant. He runs things whenever Per… - whenever the praetor has to leave.” Will tugs on Jason’s arm then and leads him to a small patch of grass, not far from the plaza. “I like watching them train when the praetor is not around. It’s something to do.”

 

Jason’s eyes find Luke again, who has gone on to divide his pupils into pairs to practice the routine.

Will leans closer and smirks at Jason.

 

“It helps that he is quite easy on the eyes.” Will adds and winks when Jason looks at him in surprise. “And if you need to learn how to defend yourself, he is the one to ask. I don’t think there is anyone out there who is better with a sword.”

 

Will wasn’t exaggerating, just like before, Jason can’t look away as soon as the man begins to move again. It’s fascinating, the fluidity with which his body moves – like a predator circling their prey.

It’s pleasing in an aesthetic sense and if Jason is being honest, it is attractive, too. This man is nothing like the brutes who held him captive, who did not know how to fight with anything else but blunt force.

Before anyone can catch him staring again, Jason averts his eyes.

 

It’s that very moment when Luke spots them and waves. Will brightens visibly and returns the gesture, but Luke does not come their way – instead he goes right back to his class.

Will sighs a little.

 

“Always busy though.” He says, sounding a little wistful. Jason raises an eyebrow, but Will doesn’t elaborate, so he decides to drop the topic.

 

 

Later on, Will shows Jason the way to the kitchens. They spend some time helping Hazel and other kitchen servants, although Will says it’s not part of their normal duties. Jason doesn’t mind, mundane work like this feels good and scrubbing pans or peeling vegetables has never been beneath him.

Hazel is a sweet girl and Jason takes an instant liking to her.

They sit on small wooden stools preparing a root vegetable for tonight’s dinner that Jason doesn’t recognise, and unlike the night before, Hazel speaks to him the second he sits down beside her to help. Will is over on the other side of the kitchen, helping a smaller boy pushing some cleaned pots up a rack the other can’t quite reach, and Jason turns his attention from them to Hazel next to him.

 

She speaks in a quiet voice, but Jason doesn’t think it’s because she doesn’t want to be overheard as much as force of habit. While they wash and cut and peel the vegetables together, Hazel tells Jason a little about her life, about the town and about the new, young soldier in the praetor’s forces that has started courting her. When she speaks about the praetor, it sounds as if she is talking about a brother rather than her master – and just like Will before she describes him as a kind man.

 

Jason wonders if, maybe, he has been luckier with this place than he’d previously imagined.

 

When there is no more work to be done in the kitchens, Hazel sends them away with fruit stuffed pastries and Will decides to take Jason to the library.

 

From the outside, it doesn’t look like much. A small door with a heavy lock – open and unguarded, leading off of one of the many stone corridors. When Will opens it to let Jason through however, the next breath gets stuck in his throat.

 

The library is magnificent. Over two floors, shelves stretch from floor to ceiling and all of them are stuffed with with books leaving no space to be filled. The room is round, which seems strange to Jason, and in its centre is an inviting sitting area – on a perfectly round carpet, there are plush divans and ottomans, large sitting pillows and unlit candles held by intricate metal candleholders about as tall as Jason himself.

 

Will, who always seems to be holding Jason’s hand now, pulls the other boy forward into the middle of the room. They sit down on one of the recliners together, but Wil doesn’t let go of Jason’s hand just yet.

Above them, a large, intricate window is set into the ceiling. It is beautiful in its design and colours and douses the sitting area in natural, yet tinted lights. The place is so well thought out, so well designed, Jason can hardly believe it is found in a praetor’s rather than a scholars home.

 

“Do you know how to read?” Will asks, drawing Jason’s attention away from the architecture.

 

Slowly, Jason shakes his head. Growing up, he’d only had his sister, and the two of them struggled to survive as it was for many years – the thought of either of them attending school had never crossed Jason’s mind. Especially after his sister had left to join a band of female warriors, and Jason had been left to care for himself.

 

Will looks at Jason without any judgement. He seems to have expected as much.

 

“You’ll have to learn eventually, but we can take a book and I can read to you this evening if you like?” The offer is one of innocence and kindness, and Jason finds himself smiling.

 

He nods, sees Will beaming back at him and allows the smaller boy to pull him up and through the shelves to pick a story for the night.

 

The rest of the day is spent exploring the property with Will by his side.

There is a field of fig trees on the hill south of the estate and the rich sweet scent of ripe fruit is intoxicating in the afternoon heat.

They go to the stables, where a stallion, dirty grey in colour, seems to take an instant liking to Jason. Will promises that one of the days to come, the two of them can go for a ride.

There are more rooms to be seen and discovered, and Jason has already forgotten most of the ways that led through the property. He has seen dining halls and a bath house, a music room and a study, a large hall to welcome guests and the smaller accommodations of the castle staff.

 

By the time Will leads him back to their shared room, Jason feels tired from the day of exploring. His skin is dry from the salt clinging to the air and the summer heat, and the cool stone floor has become a welcome change in contrast.

When Jason lets himself fall backward onto the bed with a huff, he hears a little laugh escaping Will’s lips. A moment later, he is sitting next to Jason on the covers. Jason’s eyes fall closed, and it doesn’t even occur to him to question how he has come to be so at ease around Will within only a day.

 

“I have our book.” Will says and Jason feels him shift on the bed.

 

It dips and creaks a little, and when Jason opens his eyes for a moment, he sees Will is leaning against the headrest. The boy pets his lap and beckons Jason closer. After a moment of hesitation, Jason comes forward and rests his head on Will’s thighs – very much at ease indeed.

 

Will’s fingers run through Jason’s shirt hair and his nails scratch over Jason’s scalp ever so slightly. The touch is simple and soothing, making Jason sigh quietly at the back of his throat. Will must know what the touch is doing at him.

 

The book opens with a quiet rustle, and Will leaves through the pages to find the story he is looking for. Jason opens his eyes for only a moment and finds Will smiling down at him. It is truly strange how close Jason feels to this boy, essentially still a stranger, but Will makes it hard not to like him.

 

Will takes up his petting again and continues to flick through the book with his free hand until he seems to have found what he is looking for. He grins now, and when Jason lets his eyes fall closed once more, Will begins to read.

 

It’s a fairy tale about a captive prince and the knight who fights at his side and Jason believes he has heard it before. The words sound different out of Will’s mouth somehow, though. Melodic, harmonious and well-spoken like a poem.

 

Before Jason can stop it, exhaustion gets the better of him and he drifts of to sleep with his head on Will’s lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left a comment, I was really happy to see people are still pumped for this. motivates me to actually keep this going this time :) :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait. I was very much struggling with another fic & now is a quite stressful time as exams are coming up for me. i hope you enjoy this anyway :)

Two weeks is not a long time, but for Jason it drags on.

 

He learns his way around the property, learns the routes to every important room and all the shortcuts and he starts learning the names of the rest of the staff.

They are kind to him, but he can tell they are wary too. The praetor hadn’t wanted him here, had only taken him in because he hardly had a choice in the matter and Jason thinks that may be the reason for the others animosity. They don’t say it, and they never treat him unfairly, but he recognises the resentment in the way they look at him.

He is not welcome here, and he has yet to earn his place. Jason keeps his distance, and does his best to be polite and helpful where he can. He is lucky to have Will by his side, who everybody seems to love dearly, and Jason can see why they do.

 

Will is warm, and he has a kind heart, and Jason doubts that a bad word has ever passed over his lips. It doesn’t make him weak, in contrast, Jason feels like it makes the other stronger. His journey to this place has not been much different from Jason’s own, but Will has managed to make it a home.

Jason can only hope he will be able to do that too.

 

By the end of the first week, Jason and Will have settled into the routine. They get up with the rise of the sun, or rather Will does and Jason allows himself to be dragged along. Jason has stopped questioning how Will manages to be up and awake at the first hint of sunlight, but it is hard to resist a smile when one is awoken by a figurative ball of sunshine each morning.

They go to eat on the patio, where they watch the sun rise fully over the sea. Will tells Jason about the praetor, little stories from the last two years Will has spent here. Sometimes, he shares some gossip he heard from Hazel or the other girls, about new soldiers, or Luke, the praetor’s lieutenant, and sometimes, he just tells Jason about a book he’s read. It’s comfortable and it makes the mornings pass easy even after the roughest and most sleepless nights.

 

After breakfast, they usually go sit by the arena. Jason hasn’t worked up the courage to ask if he might join the training sometimes yet, but it hasn’t escaped Jason that the lieutenant has noticed him and Will watch – or maybe just Jason having joined Will in watching.

Most of the time, they don’t stay for long. In the beginning, they would explore after – Will showing Jason every nook and cranny of the property that he’d have to know in the future. In more recent days, they’ve gone to the town that the praetor’s home resided over, or walked the cliffs and orchards and garden surrounding the property on all sides.

 

Afternoons are not as relaxed. Will takes Jason to the library then, most of the time, learning to read and write, and about music. Jason is clumsy with the lyre, and he has no more luck with the pipes, and unlike Will, hardly any talent for singing. He is better with the cithara, maybe because the instrument is much less fragile in his hands than the others.

Jason learns how to spell out his names, but he still struggles making any of the letters into sounds even with Will’s patient and careful teaching. Jason feels stupid for never having learnt, he was sure his sister knew how to read… or he believed she would.

 

Their newly found routine helps Jason keep his emotions at bay. In quiet moments, he still feels a sadness creep up on him that he does not know how to handle. He dreads stagnation, dreads being alone with his thoughts and memories, and even with Will by his side, they haunt him at night. There are a lot of things Jason is afraid of, and a lot of things he does not understand, but Will makes them easier to bear.

He fills the empty space inside Jason’s chest with a warmth and affection Jason has never come to know before, a kindness that has grown to be unfamiliar. Jason cannot remember ever having felt like this before.

 

It’s been three weeks since the praetor left and despite all of Jason’s doubts and worries, he is beginning to feel at home. He is still plagued by nightmares, and he still doesn’t understand what Will is doing to his emotions, and the staff still are a little suspicious – but Jason can tell he is growing stronger again, and that it all becomes a little easier to bear.

He hadn’t been starved on the pirate ship, but the scraps he’d been fed had to be earned, and even then they were hardly enough to fill his stomach. Before that, when he lived as an orphan in the village that used to be his home, he couldn’t say that he’d had it much better then.

Now though, he starts filling out. His ribs are almost hidden again, his arms don’t look as bony and his skin doesn’t feel paper thin.  Jason is becoming healthier, and he knows he has to be grateful for that. Whatever may become of him once the praetor returns, he has never been cared for as well as these past three weeks under Will’s care.

 

It’s the first morning off the fourth week when Will wakes Jason before the sun has even risen on the horizon. The room is only lit by one of the torches when Will shakes Jason out of his sleep, and at first he panics, thinking something must be amiss if Will is waking him during the night.

 

“Hush.” Will whispers. There is a grin on his face that does strange things to Jason’s stomach. “I don’t want to wake anyone. I’ve left some clothes by the dresser, get changed while I’m gone, will you?”

 

Jason blinks slowly, then finds himself nodding. He can’t claim to be properly awake yet, but evidently Will doesn’t need him to be. As the other boy disappears from Jason’s line of sight, he sits up properly and rubs both hands over his face. He muffles a yawn into his palms, stretches his arms above his head and yawns again. His sleep hasn’t been too bad the night before, but that makes Jason only grumpier that he’d had to let it go so early.

 

Nevertheless, Jason gets up. He runs his fingers through his dishevelled hair, but doesn’t bother seeking out the mirror to smooth it down into a more acceptable state. He finds the clothes Will has picked for him easily: a pale blue shirt and trousers made of soft leather, nothing like what Jason would have worn before he came here. There is a belt too, for keeping everything in its place. The buckle has a strange insignia that Jason suspects is the praetor’s.

 

It takes Jason some time getting dressed, but not because he is reluctant. The more he wakes, the more is curiosity is peaked and he wonders what Will has planned for the day ahead. Even though he’d probably prefer still being hidden in the sheets, preferably with Will by his side who provides a constant comforting warmth, Jason wants to know what Will has in store today.

He is moving a little sluggish, so by the time Will comes back, Jason is still struggling with the belt around his waist in a way that will actually keep his clothes where they are meant to be. Will huffs when he sees Jason’s hopeless attempt and sets down the pack he’s brought on the bed.

 

“Here.” Will says as he slips right into Jason’s space. “Let me.”

 

Will pats Jason’s chest once everything is secured in its designated place and smiles up at the other boy. He seems excited, and Jason can’t help but return the smile too. Will’s mood, as most days, is too infectious.

 

“I wanna take you somewhere, but it takes a little while to get there.” Will informs Jason, then gestures for him to follow. “Gonna be a long day, so I hope you slept wel.”

 

Will bounces with every step he takes, despite the obvious weight of the pack he is carrying. Even though Jason is still tired, and the crips morning air makes him shiver slightly, he can still feel a tingle of anticipation settling in his own stomach.

 

No one crosses their path as Will leads Jason through the hallways, down a shortcut that takes them outside near the patio. The sun hasn’t yet risen, everything is eerily dark, and Jason begins to wonder how Will even managed to wake this early. Will must be tired too, he isn’t talking as much or as agitated as Jason is used to, instead, Will is humming a soft melody under his breath for most of their walk.

 

It’s only when they reach the stables that Jason begins to understand what Will has planned.

 

“We’re going for a ride?” Jason asks, unable to hide the excitement from his voice. His smile is a little hesitant still, he doesn’t want to get his hopes up for nothing.

Will turns around to him with a laugh bubbling up in his chest.

 

“Yeah! I promised, and I always try to keep my promises.”

 

Jason’s first instinct is to scoop Will up in a hug, but he stops just short of the other boy and squeezes his shoulder instead.

 

“Thank you.” He says quietly, earnestly, and Will nods in reply.

 

“We’re taking Tempest.” Will tells Jason as he pulls away from him, stopping by one of the units. Inside is the same stormy grey stallion that Jason had noticed the very first time Will has shown him the stables. “He’s a bit of a temperament one, but I think he likes you, so we’ll be fine.”

 

Jason steps closer, offering his palm up to the horse. The stallion comes closer and to Jason, he doesn’t look at all like he’d be difficult to handle at all.  
Once he is sure he won’t startle the horse, Jason reaches out and runs his fingers over the animal’s neck, feeling coarse fur under his fingertips. The stallion puffs, nuzzles against the touch, and Jason falls a little in love.

Will watches the scene with an amused smile and fond gaze, but Will is hardly paying him any attention.

 

“Let’s get him saddled up.”

 

Before his village burned down, Jason worked for the only farmer. He had a few horses, they were always Jason’s favourite, so this wasn’t the first time he got a stallion ready for a ride.

Will tells Jason, as they get Tempest ready, that taking care of the horses had been one of the first things he’d been taught. There’s a wistful smile on his face as he says it, apparently the praetor is very fond of the horses himself, spends loads of time on rides or in the stable. Jason suspects there is more to the story than Will is telling him now, but he isn’t sure whether he should ask or not.

 

Before Jason gets a chance to make up his mind, Will has already mounted the horse. He pats the space behind him, and Jason follows onto Tempest’s back after only a moment of hesitation.

 

“You can ride, right?” Will asks as he leans back against Jason’s chest and offers him the reigns. Jason feels his heart beat a little too fast at the closeness, but it isn’t an entirely unpleasant feeling that spreads through him now.

 

Instead of answering, Jason only nods and takes the reigns. His feet slide more securely into the stirrups and leads the horse into a slow walk out of the stable and property. Will quietly gives directions, making Jason follow a narrow path around the borders of the town. Apart from pointing out a few landmarks they pass, Will is very quiet on the ride. Jason cannot say he minds, the more time passes, the more comfortable he grows both with their proximity and the silence.

 

Jason knows the land they are riding through belongs to the praetor as well, his property as much as his obligation. It seems like a flourishing little province, the main town isn’t very large but wealthy and as they ride further into the countryside now, they pass villas, large farms and a few villages that don’t look anything like the poor place Jason has come from.

“Where are we?” Jason asks quietly, and he isn’t sure how he has never thought to ask this before. How far away from his old home has he been taken?

 

“What do you mean?” Will murmurs in return, sounding sleepy. Jason feels a little bad for disturbing their soft and calm silence.

 

“What province are we in?” He rephrases this time and Will hums in understanding.

 

“Achaia.”  Will says. Jason feels his heart drop. “Pretty much the southern edge of it.”

 

They’re in _Greece_. No wonder their accent had sounded different from Jason’s own. He was _so far_ away from home, he could hardly comprehend. If there had ever been any hope of making his way back, of seeing his sister again, it was lost now.

 

Jason doesn’t realise he has fallen deathly quiet, or that he stopped the horse, until Will turns around to him with a worried little frown on his face.

“I think it’s time for a break.” Will says softly and gives Jason a small smile.

 

He slides off the horse, not waiting for Jason to follow before he grabs the reigns from him and leads Tempest a little further along the path. There is a creek up ahead, surrounded by large stones and a few trees, one of which Will ties Tempest’s reins to now.

Jason gets off the horse then, watching somewhat unsure as Will grabs the package he’d packed this morning. Will walks over to the large stones by the creek, doused in the first light of the day, and waves Jason over to follow.

 

“Breakfast?” Will asks, rather than trying to find out what has Jason’s mood so suddenly dropping. Jason sighs, but takes the seat next to Will on one of the stones. Tempest grazes just off the path, wading through the creek and picking the greenest grass from either side.

 

“Can I ask where we’re going?” Jason says as Will hands him some bread and fruit. Will smirks in reply, but shakes his head.

 

“What’s the fun in that?” He asks and pops a red berry into his mouth with a hum.

 

Jason doesn’t mean to follow the motion with his eyes, but he does. The berry breaks in Will’s mouth and some of the juice stains his lips a sultry red. Quickly, which only makes his staring before less subtle, Jason snaps his gaze away. He hears Will chuckle and his cheeks are turning the same shade of red as Will’s berry stained lips.

 

When they continue their ride, Jason’s thoughts have moved on from the dark path they had strayed down earlier. Will had picked the perfect moment for a break, Jason had needed the downtime to calm himself again.

He hadn’t seen his sister since he was a child, he couldn’t know if she was even still alive. Even so, if she ever made her way back to the village they grew up in, she’d find nothing in its place. That is what really makes Jason ache inside. There is no home for him to return to, and even though Will shows that this place may be a home if Jason allows it to become one, he doesn’t know if he can do that yet.

 

This time, Jason is the first to mount the horse. Will still insists on sitting in the front, claiming their size difference makes them fit better this way. Jason isn’t sure that this is really Will’s motive, given that he really isn’t that much taller than Will, but he doesn’t argue.

Jason suspects Will likes the excuse to be close, to lean his back against Jason’s chest and drop his head against Jason’s shoulder as they trot along. Jason can’t say he minds as much anymore, Will’s warmth seeping into his own body is pleasant, intimate – completely unlike any of the hands that had forced their way onto his skin during his journey here.

Jason shakes off the thought of the pirates and concentrates on the path ahead. His hands rest on Will’s lap, arms around Will’s waist, as he is still the one with the reigns. Will keeps his hands away though, mindful of Jason’s boundaries. Jason knows that Will is waiting for him to seek the touch out himself, but Jason can’t claim he is ready for that just yet.

 

Lost in thought, Jason doesn’t pay much attention to the passing of time or the road ahead. Tempest is a well-trained horse – he stays on the path with little input from Jason (or maybe Will has been pulling the reins somewhat more than Jason has noticed.

They go from a barren path through a forest, a winding path through trees and bushes. Before the sun reaches its highest point, however, Will makes them stop.

They must have reached their destination, but Jason can’t see anything special around. The forest is thick around them, but even so Jason doesn’t quite feel as awed as Will’s excitement had made him hope to be.

 

“Come on, don’t look so disappointed.” Will says and demounts. “We just can’t take the horse any further.”

 

As soon as Jason’s own feet hit the ground, Will playfully pokes his side before taking the reins and leading Tempest a little further down the path. It’s more narrow now, and Jason sees what Will has meant: The horse will have more control without them on his back.

Not even half a minute later, the tree line parts for a small, gated meadow just off the path. Will hands Jason the reigns while he goes to unlock the gate, then they both work together on unsaddling the horse for it to roam free within the fence while they are gone.

 

Will shoulders their bag of supplies, then motions for Jason to follow again.

 

“It’s right around the corner, I promise.” He says and offers his hand to Jason.

For a moment, Jason hesitates, and Will is already pulling his hand back when Jason makes up his mind and pulls Will’s hand into his own after all. The smile it brings to Will’s face is worth the way Jason’s heart races for the next two minutes.

 

Will hadn’t exaggerated. It doesn’t take them long, winding through the trees from their original starting point, until the last of the trees are behind them and they have a clear view of the sea.

Similarly to the patio back at the praetor’s home, their path leads to a cliff. It doesn’t stop there though: a steep set of wooden stairs is set into the sandy stone, winding down along the rock in front of them.

A thrill goes through Jason as Will eagerly pulls him along.

 

From this distance, Jason can hear the waves crashing on the shore. The wind has picked up as well now, ruffling Jason’s hair in every direction. As they climb down the stairs, Jason doesn’t feel any fear. Contrary, this place fills him with a strange feeling of peace and freedom, as if he’s coming home for the first time in months.

He remembers his mother and his sister, the only time they ever travelled and took Jason to a beach. The memory is dull and faded, nothing compared to the beauty that stretches out in front of Jason’s eyes.

 

“It’s one of the few places where you can go down to the water.” Will says and grins at Jason. When they reach the ground, the sand is almost white and surprisingly soft under Jason’s bare feet.

“It’s the chalk from the cliffs.” Will says when he spots Jason’s wonder. “They are white too, look.”

 

Will lets go of Jason’s hand then and he turns around and indeed: the cliffs stretching out on either side of them are white and pale as ivory, only occasionally disrupted by a spot of red or brown stone, or a patch of green where a tree or bushed grow on the slope. Behind Jason, the water is bright blue, shimmering green further out into the sea. The waves are gentle today, even though the wind is not.

Jason is too stunned by everything around him to notice Will watching him from a few feet away.

 

“Swim with me.” The other boy’s soft voice shakes Jason out of his fascination.

He turns his head to meet Will’s eyes and for a second, Jason is taken aback. When he first saw Will, he had realised the other boy was beautiful. Until now, Jason has never really paid it another thought though… Will’s eyes are a brighter blue in this light, almost the same shade as the clear sky above them and his hair reflects the sunshine brilliantly.

Jason’s cheeks turn pink, but this time, he manages to snap out of it before his staring becomes too obvious. Will grins like he has noticed anyway, and much to Jason’s surprise, begins pulling the thin cotton shirt he has been wearing all day over his head.

Jason watches it fall to the ground and refuses to look at Will instead.

 

“Come on Jason, swim with me.” This time, it comes out with a giggle, and when Jason doesn’t react, Will steps into his space.

 

Before Jason has any chance to protest, Will’s hands are on him, undoing the belt that Will had only closed around Jason’s waist this morning. Jason’s reaction is completely instinctual, he stiffens, then flinches away from the touch.

Memories of larger, rougher hands force themselves to the front of Jason’s mind, memories of painful and demanding touches and Jason _can’t._

 

Hurt flashes through Will’s eyes, raw and undiluted, before it turns into a more understanding expression. Will drops his hands from Jason’s skin, then raises them as if he is surrendering, showing he means no harm. The belt falls to the sand with a thud.

 

“I’m sorry.” Will says and Jason can tell despite the waver in his voice that he means it.

 

Will is already backing away but Jason follows and shakes his head. Will hadn’t meant to overstep, Jason knows that, and he cannot stand seeing Will this hurt and rejected when he was in such a playful mood seconds ago. And Will doesn’t _know_. As much as he’s respected Jason’s space until now, Jason has never told him why, never given him a reason not to touch. What had been completely innocent for Will had brought trauma right back to Jason’s present, and Jason knows that’s not what Will had meant to do.

 

“No. I know you won’t harm me.” Jason starts, head bowed. He remembers all the things he hasn’t said the first night he had come here, all the things he cannot expect Will to know.

“Those…pirates.” Jason swallows thickly. He has to force out every word as he continues: “When I… while I… they…”

 

As much as Jason wants to open up, wants to give Will an explanation, he cannot get out the words. His throat closes up, a lump forms that he can barely breathe around. It feels like he’s tearing scabs off wounds that should have already been healed, but that he has been bleeding from the entire time.

 

As it turns out, Jason doesn’t have to say it aloud. Tentativevly, like Will is afraid Jason might run if he moves too fast, Will steps forward and wraps his arms around Jason. The grip is loose, hesitant and gentle, Jason knows he could easily break away if he had to. Will’s arms wind around Jason’s waist, his hands settle on Jason’s back where his fingers trace little circles around Jason’s spine. The touch is strangely soothing and Jason finds he begins to breathe a little easier again.

 

“I know.” The words come quiet, and much too late to be in reply to Jason’s earlier attempts at explaining himself. “I have met the men who brought you here. They are the same ones that brought me.”

 

Will rests his head on Jason’s shoulder and his hold tightens marginally. The next words are laced with pain, and so quiet that Jason can hardly understand them at all. “I have felt myself what they have done to you.”

 

After that, Will falls silent. He doesn’t have to say anything more, Jason knows what he means. The same men, the same hands and the same bruises where their skin should have been left untouched. Jason can only imagine how much worse Will must have suffered, given he was not spared to be a gift.

 

“I’m sorry.” Jason manages finally. His voice is thick with emotion he cannot put into words. He leans forward into Will’s embrace, closes his eyes and holds the other boy tightly against his chest.

Will is warm and his skin is soft under Jason’s hands and that is comfort enough that Jason starts breathing again.

 

Neither of them speaks for a long time, but eventually Will pulls away. He wipes his cheeks, smearing the tracks of the few tears that had escaped his eyes. His smile is a little shaky now, but it is as warm as ever, and Jason finds himself returning it.

 

“Would you still like to swim with me?” Jason asks and his voice betrays him, catching on the last word and betraying how weak and vulnerable he truly feels.

 

Will knows now, despite all unsaid words between them, and as much as Jason is relieved that he has shared his pain with someone, he feels ashamed too. Unlike Will, he used to be a fighter. Someone trained and tall and muscular who should have been able to defend himself from the invaders that had burned his village to the ground. Instead, he has hidden within his own body, praying to the gods for this torture to be over soon. Jason has made himself easy prey, and he despises himself for that.

Especially over the past few days, Jason has grown to like Will much more than he anticipated… and Jason doesn’t want the other boy to be disgusted in light of what had been done to Jason – regardless of the things Will had experienced himself.

 

“Yes. Yes, of course.” Will replies finally and reaches out, stroking his fingertips over Jason’s cheek in a fleeting, gentle caress. “That’s what I brought you here for, after all.”

 

Will turns around then, picking up Jason’s belt and his shirt to leave them with the rest of their belongings. He doesn’t face Jason when his hands reach around to his own loose trousers, probably for better, and Jason turns his eyes quickly away before any more skin is revealed.

They would not be able to ride home in wet clothes, their skin would chafe and it would be uncomfortable for the horse too, but even so, Jason feels a little shy about undressing.

 

Taking a deep breath, Jason grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head before he can change his mind again. The second his skin is exposed, he can feel the warm rays of the sun almost like a caress, but Jason suspects it’s more his imagination than anything else.

 

When Jason hears an excited yelp to his left, he turns his head to find Will up to his knees in the water already, waves splashing against his thighs, spraying water all the way up his back and chest. Jason cannot help it, his eyes linger on the curve of Will’s back for a moment, trace over the muscle of Will’s shoulder and down to the tip of his spine. There is a dusting of freckles all over Will’s tanned skin that seem to glow in the sunlight, and Will’s bright hair shines like a halo around his head.

Another squeak when the next wave breaks against Will’s skin, but this time it is followed by a laugh, and the sound is even more inviting than the sight.

 

Jason forces his eyes away before Will can catch him staring _again_ , and busies himself undoing his pants instead. His cheeks are burning bright red when he pushes the clothing down his thighs, and by the time he is stepping out of the legs he is sure the blush has spread all the way down to his chest.

Will hasn’t turned around though, and Jason takes his chance to follow into the water before the situation can turn awkward in one way or another.

 

The water is cool when the first wave rolls over Jason’s feet and he is tempted to gasp, but presses his lips into a thin line to supress any sound escaping. It’s a nice relief from the warm air around, even if it raises goosebumps on Jason’s heated skin.

His sister used to run all the way into the waves, plunging herself in before Jason managed to even get as far as his knees. The memory is bittersweet, happy but tainted by loss.

Jason shakes his head, shakes off the thoughts before they can taint his mood too.

 

Jason has almost caught up to Will when a particularly tall wave catches him by surprise and drenches him up to his navel. He sucks in a sharp breath at the sudden shock of cold, making Will turn around. The other boy grins like a child on the morning of its birthday, then reaches out to grab one of Jason’s hands with his own.

Will’s fingers wrap around Jason’s wrist and he catches the mischievous glint in Will’s eyes too late: With one strong pull, Will makes Jason stumble forward and lose his balance. Jason can’t save himself from falling, but as he goes down, he turns his wrist to take a hold of Will’s arm before the other boy can wind away: If Jason is going down, Will is going to come right along with him.

 

Just before the waves engulf Jason’s head in the water, he hears Will’s laughter as he is falling too. Jason remembers at the last second to close his eyes and hold his breath before their combined momentum brings them down to the ground under the water.  Having Will almost on top of him makes it harder to come up again, but even so, by the time they burst through the surface again, Jason finds himself grinning like a maniac.

Will’s move has brought them further out, deep enough that when Will regains his footing, the water reaches all the way to his chest now. He is holding on to Jason’s arm, laughing hard even as he struggles to regain his breath.

 

“That didn’t go to plan.” Will giggles out eventually and pushes the wet hair out of his face. He grins up at Jason, but for the moment doesn’t seem to plot another attack.

 

“You think?” Jason quips, which makes Will shove his chest playfully before he starts shaking his head, sending all the water flying that had soaked into his curls. It sprays Jason’s face, but since he is still dripping anyway, the additional water hardly bothers him. Judging by Will’s grin, he’d hoped for the opposite.

 

“Don’t think I’m letting you get away with this.” Will threatens jokingly and winks at Jason.

 

He pushes off the ground then, gliding back through the water away from Jason with more grace than Jason thinks he’ll ever possess himself. Will’s cheeks are flushed from laughed, and the water clinging to his lashes catches in the sunlight, making him look even more radiant than usual.

 

“Catch me.” Will taunts and makes a come hither motion with his finger, just before he turns over with the next wave and starts swimming away from Jason. “If you can.”

 

Jason has never been a good swimmer, if one would even call his strange attempts at moving forward swimming, but even so he is giving it his best. He huffs a laugh, only watches Will for a second longer before he surges after him, trying his best to follow.

Several times, he comes close to catching Will, but Jason is fairly sure that’s only because Will lets him since every time, Will ducks away at the last second and laughs as he brings more distance between them again.

They splash each other, swim so far out that Jason’s feet can’t touch the water any longer, before Will leads their chase back into shallow water.

 

It’s due to nothing but luck when Jason catches Will after all. Will tries another of his escapes at the last second, when he slips on the ground. The sand doesn’t provide quite as much purchase as Will had needed, but Jason manages to catch him at the very last second before he is swallowed by the waves.

Before Will can get away, Jason pulls him lose, winding both arms around Will’s waist to trap him.

 

Jason wants to say something witty, but his quip dies on the tip of his tongue. Will is laughing with both hands flat against Jason’s chest, like he is thinking about pushing Jason off but not yet ready to ruin the moment.

Jason smiles shyly, the proximity makes his heart beat fast, but not quite in the same anxious way as before. Will must be able to feel it under his palms, and the thought makes Jason blush again.

 

“You caught me.” Will purrs, the tone of his voice new to Jason. It’s different than the warm and playful way Will usually talks to him with, and if Jason is quite honest, he doesn’t know what to make of this change at all.

 

Jason’s breath hitches  when Will strokes his hands up his chest and over his shoulders, arms loosely looping around Jason’s neck.

“I think you earned a reward.”

 

Jason swallows. He is painfully aware of all the places their skin is touching with not a single barrier between them. He can feel Will’s warmth even with the cooler water around him, can feel the heat against his chest, can feel Will’s legs brushing his thighs, can feel Will’s fingers playing with his short hair.

 

Will’s grin turns into a shyer smile when he shifts closer. His thumb circles on the side of Jason’s neck and Will goes up onto the tips of his toes. They are nose to nose, and Jason knows exactly where this is going. He hadn’t expected anything like this, not this soon and not from Will, but nevertheless, Jason cannot stop his eyes from fluttering closed.

Will’s breath tickles his lips and Jason leans forward by the slightest amount. That must been the invitation Will has been waiting for, because the next thing Jason feels is Will’s lips brushing over his own. It’s like Will’s allowing Jason a last chance to pull away, but Jason is frozen in place.

When he doesn’t move, Will settles his hand at the back of Jason’s neck and pulls him into the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come yell at me on [tumblr.](http://percyinpanties.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

I am very sorry, this is not a chapter. I want to apologise for the long wait, and reassure you that I haven't abandoned the fic, I am just insanely busy at the moment. I had exams all of May and I have been working full time the day I got home from uni for the summer.

I cannot say how soon I will be able to update as I will be gone most of July too due to mandatory seminars for work that I have to travel almost 8 hours to get to and a little travel trip with my sister. My other fic, Hello, also has priority over this one, I'm sorry to say. I am not yet working on a new one for this, as I want to write the next chapter of Hello first. 

 

I am gonna try to bring you the next chapter in July, but I cannot promise anything. It's a very stressful time for me right now, so please be patient.


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